Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a self-checkout system for the purchase of articles of merchandise that integrates self-checkout, access control, electronic article surveillance (EAS), and directed personal advertising subsystems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Self-checkout of articles of merchandise from controlled areas, such as retail stores, is presently implemented by gathering identification data about a selected article and correlating that data with stored inventory, pricing, and authorization or payment data. The self-checkout system may be integrated with an EAS system, so that an attached EAS tag is deactivated upon purchasing the selected article. EAS systems are well known for the deterrence of unauthorized removal of articles from a controlled area. In a typical EAS system, EAS markers or tags designed to interact with an electromagnetic field located at the exits of the controlled area are attached to articles to be protected. If an EAS tag is brought into the electromagnetic field or xe2x80x9cinterrogation zonexe2x80x9d, the presence of the tag is detected and appropriate action is taken, such as generating an alarm. For authorized removal of the article, such as a sale, the EAS tag can be deactivated to prevent detection by the EAS system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,483, illustrates a self-checkout system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with each article to be checked out. When read by an RFID reader, RFID tags communicate detailed information about the article. RFID tags can be written to so that the stored information can be changed or augmented. Deactivation of attached EAS labels is tied to scanning and capture of the identification data associated with the article for self-checkout. Capture of the data is accomplished through the RFID tags associated with the article, or can be accomplished through the use of bar codes. The EAS label associated with the article is deactivated only after the data is captured and a valid purchase transaction has occurred. In certain systems, a single tag includes both the RFID and the EAS tags so that a separate EAS tag is not needed. In addition, in certain applications, an RFID system itself can be used to provide an EAS function. RFID sensors that read the item""s RFID tag can be placed at the store""s exits to identify purchased items, and allow for authorized removal without signaling an alarm.
Directed advertising to end users of certain products is presently known. For example, Iquity Systems Americas, Inc., New York, N.Y. 10006, (www.iquity.com) provides free call minutes in exchange for the user receiving advertisements on their cell phone. The advertising can be directed to groups of people on marketing lists that can be segregated according to selected demographics.
Access control systems, such as sold by Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (www.sensormatic.com), the assignee of this invention, are presently available that permit access to controlled areas only to authorized personnel. The access control can be initiated via RFID type cards issued to the authorized personnel, or using biometrics. Biometrics use physical features or characteristics, such as fingerprints, handprints, eyes, facial features, and/or voice, to recognize authorized personnel and permit entry.
There is a need for a system that integrates the above subsystems to provide an improved customer shopping experience in a self-checkout environment.
The present invention is an integrated access control and self-checkout system and method that incorporates the following subsystems. An access control subsystem to restrict access to a controlled area, and which includes a database containing a list of authorized members. Entry to the controlled area is permitted only to an authorized member, the controlled area containing articles of merchandise for sale. A communication subsystem for communicating with the authorized member. The communication subsystem is kept with the authorized member within the controlled area and includes a display displaying information to the member. The member is tacked throughout the controlled area. Information to be displayed on the communication subsystem is determined by analyzing data stored in the database associated with the member and the location of the member within the controlled area, the data includes the purchasing habits of the member.
The system can further have the following subsystems. Article identification subsystem, such as RFID, bar code scanner or other mechanism to identify articles selected by the member for purchase. A purchase subsystem for completing a sale of articles to the member. The system may have a deactivation device to deactivate only an EAS tag associated with purchased articles. The EAS subsystem can have, at each exit of the controlled area, antennas for detecting an active EAS tag associated with the article to signal an alarm when a sale has not been completed for the article and the EAS tag has not been deactivated. Additional features of the invention are as follows.
The system can further include a display pre-positioned in the controlled area to display selected information to the member. In addition, a display adjacent the article for sale can be provided to display pricing and other selected information, the information can include information intended only for that particular member.
The system can use an RFID tag associated with the article as the EAS tag, so that a separate EAS tag is not required.
The access control subsystem can use biometrics to compare biometrics sensed from a member wanting access to the controlled area to biometrics associated with each member on the list of authorized members.
The member can be tracked by tracking the communication subsystem kept with the customer. The communication subsystem can be a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, or a pager, or an equivalent device.
The database can contain a plurality of files associated with a plurality of authorized members, each of the files can contain the purchasing habits of the associated member. The purchasing habits can include at least one of the date and time, a record of the location of the customer when in the controlled area, a time associated with the customer in the controlled area, personal data, articles selected by the member, articles purchased by the member, and usage of special offers, promotions, and coupons.
Selecting the information to be displayed can include use of a computer program that includes at least one subroutine selected from an expert system, a rule-base algorithm, an artificial neural network, and an artificial intelligence algorithm, the computer program using this information retrieved from the database.
The system can also have a dispenser for dispensing a coupon or a virtual coupon, which will respond to the purchase subsystem for competing a sale and by the analyzing information within the database.
Objectives, advantages, and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention.